Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Dumbbell Deadlift: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The dumbbell deadlift is a compound exercise targeting the glutes, with secondary emphasis on the hamstrings and lower back. It involves lifting dumbbells from the ground by hinging at the hips and extending through the legs and back.

Primary muscles
Glutes
Secondary muscles
Hamstrings
Equipment
Dumbbell
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the dumbbell deadlift
Front view: muscles worked by the dumbbell deadlift. Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings.
Back view: muscles worked by the dumbbell deadlift. Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings.
Primary Secondary

How to do the dumbbell deadlift

  1. Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward.
  2. Step 2: Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body, arms extended downwards.
  3. Step 3: Bend at your hips and knees, lowering the dumbbells towards the ground while keeping your back straight.
  4. Step 4: Push through your heels and extend your hips and knees, lifting the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the dumbbell deadlift by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Dumbbell Deadlift alternatives

More exercises that train the glutes as their main target:

More glutes exercises

See the best glute exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.